H.R. 2796 — Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025

This section renames the grants program to assist in the recognition of trafficking as the Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Prevention Education Grants and makes related conforming changes to program descriptions and headings. It revises grant award priorities to (1) favor local educational agencies (LEAs) serving high-intensity child sex trafficking areas or areas with significant child labor trafficking; (2) provide additional priority to LEAs partnering with nonprofits specializing in human trafficking prevention education that collaborate with law enforcement and technology or social media companies; and (3) require consultation with the Secretaries of Education, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, and the Attorney General to identify high-prevalence areas for at-risk children (e.g., homeless youth, foster youth, child welfare youth, runaways). It further establishes grantee selection criteria based on ability to engage stakeholders (including survivors), provide age-appropriate and trauma-informed training for trainers, guardians, K–12 students, teachers, and school personnel, and develop scalable evidence-based (as defined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) programs using technological tools; defines "train the trainers"; specifies target beneficiaries through interagency consultation (minimally including homeless youth, foster youth, child welfare youth, and runaways); and requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit an initial report within 540 days of enactment and annual reports thereafter to specified congressional committees and the public on grantee numbers, partnerships, schools implementing best practices, trainees reached, training survey results, and victims identified and served.

This section establishes the Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and Education Program, to be carried out by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), to prevent re-exploitation of eligible trafficking victims (i.e., those age 18 or older who qualify for benefits under section 107(b) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000) by providing trauma-informed services to support their life skills, employment, and education for self-sufficiency. The program offers services including (1) basic education, job skills training, vocational programs, and high school diploma attainment; (2) life-skills training such as financial management and parenting; (3) résumé assistance, interview coaching, and professional development; (4) help with criminal record expungement for nonviolent offenses linked to victimization, credit repair, college enrollment, and scholarships; (5) individualized case management; and (6) assistance obtaining victim compensation or mental health funds. Eligible individuals may receive services for a cumulative period of five years. Subject to appropriations, HHS must enter into cooperative agreements with eligible organizations (i.e., experienced anti-trafficking service providers using national or local networks).

This section revises authorizations of appropriations under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) as follows: (1) for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to support trafficking victim eligibility for benefits and assistance under specified TVPA provisions and the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023, increases the amount to $30,755,000 for FY2025 through FY2029 (from $19,500,000 for FY2018 through FY2021), of which $5 million (from $3.5 million) is for the National Human Trafficking Hotline and cybersecurity and public education campaigns, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to identify and respond to human trafficking cases; and (2) for specified assistance, extends the period to FY2025 through FY2029 (from FY2018 through FY2021) and authorizes $35 million annually for Office of Victims of Crime Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking.

This section reauthorizes appropriations for the International Megan’s Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders (i.e., requires the State Department and DHS to notify destination countries of traveling U.S. registered sex offenders) at $6 million annually for FY2025 through FY2029 (from FY2018 through FY2021).